More than their share...

I was chatting with a friend and he told me about some new people in his neighborhood.

It seems they have built new houses, which they use as vacation homes. These homes are generally empty, except for certain summer weekends. BUT the heat is on year round to protect the artwork they contain.

My friend's wife was an accountant. She had as a client an oil dealer who works on an island full of such second homes. He told her that when he started a few decades ago, he would take out his truck in the morning, drive around delivering oil, and then go back home for lunch at which time he would fill the truck for the afternoon run. Now, he goes to one home, delivers the oil and needs to return home to fill the truck right away, because it is empty.

That's right, he empties a whole truckload of oil at one house, at which no one is living.

Um, I had heard that we need to conserve oil and other fossil fuels. When I related this to another friend, he wondered aloud how people could justify that level of consumption.  I wonder that, too.

So, I think I might start to write more posts on conservation, as well as being careful of my own fuel use. I am not sure what else I can do to help. Environmental issues are close to my heart, but I am not hugely knowledgeable. Perhaps we can all share some ideas.

Have a good day!

Necessity being the mother of invention and all...

I called a friend today and suggested we get together for tea sometime. "How about I come down now?"

I was delighted with the idea -- company is always fun. After we'd hung up, I realized I had nothing in the house to serve a guest. Normally, this isn't a problem. I always have the ingredients for some kind of cookie on hand and several recipes are the quick and easy type. The difficulty today was that my oven is broken. I can't open it. The service man is coming on Monday, but until then, no baking. So....

I looked around, gathered up some odds and ends, and made this:


Over low heat melt around 3/4 of a stick of butter. Add a 12 ounce bag of Hershey's cinnamon chips. Once they have melted add about two teaspoons of granulated sugar, a tablespoon of brown sugar and two tablespoons of milk.

In a large bowl, combine a few handfuls of stick-type pretzels somewhat broken up, about two cups of o-shaped oat cereal, about two cups rice Chex and about a half cup of raisens.

Pour the melted mixture over the crunchy stuff and stir until well coated. Spread into a 13x 9 pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until firm. Break into pieces and serve.

As you can see, all measurements are approximate. Also almost any plain crunchy things will probably work.

I was very pleased that my guest and my son seemed to enjoy my creation. I liked it pretty well myself.


Have you ever tried a food experiment with whatever was around? How did it go?

What is it About Chocolate?

All you need is love. But a little 

chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.

Charles M. Schulz

I am, admittedly, enthralled by chocolate. I don't go a day without it. I am even planning a unit study on chocolate for the kids. It won't be just recipes, we'll look at the history of chocolate, the geography of chocolate-producing countries and the botany of cacoa plants. We'll also talk about fair-trade chocolate and modern day slavery. But sampling chocolate will be part of it. Definitely.

That's a ways off, though. For now, I am going to content myself with some jokes and quotes and a quick and easy chocolate recipe.


The problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.


My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already. - Dave Barry

Eating chocolate can have significant influences on mood, generally leading to an increase in pleasant feelings and a reduction in tension. - Peter Rogers, Ph.D., Institute of Food Research


The Greek term theobroma (Latin name for cacao) means literally food of the gods. Chocolate has also been called the food of the devil, but the theological basis of this claim is obscure.


Don't wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty. Chocolate isn't like premarital sex. It will not make you pregnant. And it always feels good. - Lora Brody, Growing Up on the Chocolate Diet


Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

  Quick and easy chocolate recipe. Not reallly fudge, but it reminds people of the Chocolate-Marshmallow version of that yummy candy. 

Melt two 12 oz bags of dark or semisweet chocolate chips slowly over low heat. A double boiler works well. Remove from heat. Add one bag of mini-marshmallows, stirring until they are well coated. Pour mixture into a greased 9x4 loaf pan and refrigerate for two hours. Cut into squares and try not to eat all at once. 

       Chemically speaking, chocolate really is the world's perfect food.   

  - Michael Levine, nutrition researcher

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                   Arvind Balaraman                                                                    Salvatore Vuono                                      

Grant Cochrane